Home Of Accused Investigator Burns

Thursday, October 4th 2007, 6:19 am

By: News On 6

Thereâ€™s a new twist in a Creek County criminal case. Ed Willingham once worked for the Creek County Sheriff's office and until recently, was the lead investigator for the Creek County District Attorney's office. He was fired this summer after his wife accused him of molesting a young girl. Ed Willingham was charged in that case Wednesday and six hours later, his house burned to the ground.

News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports the state fire marshal is looking at whether the fire is a case of arson.

Ed Willingham had been granted the house in his divorce and was supposed to move back into it next week. His wife and sons had moved out recently.

This fire is just one more strange event in the recent life of Ed Willingham, Junior.

His career in law enforcement and his marriage have also gone up in flames in the past few months.

His wife accused him of being addicted to prescription drugs and abusing her on July 4th.

She went back to him until 13 days later when she says she caught her husband sexually molesting a 10-year-old neighbor girl who'd spent the night.

She filed a protective order against him and he was arrested for violating it twice in a matter of days.

He filed for divorce, then dropped it. She then filed for divorce and requested he only get twice weekly supervised visits with his two young sons, and the judge agreed.

That's about the time Ed Willingham got fired by his close friend and boss, Creek County District Attorney Max Cook.

Then, the biggie, Ed Willingham was charged Wednesday with molesting the neighbor girl in July and with molesting a friend's daughter in 2001.

The family of that girl says they didn't report it at the time because he was a higher up at the Creek County Sheriff's Office and they were afraid no one would believe them, plus, they didn't want to ruin the life of his wife and sons.

Records show Ed Willingham's wife caught him in a third compromising position with a child many years ago while camping with friends and their toddler daughter, but his wife never mentioned it to anyone.

Ed Willingham surrendered on the new charges Wednesday afternoon, bonded out immediately and by 10 pm Wednesday night, firefighters were racing to his home on Teel Road.

The state fire marshals office says it's too soon to know if Wednesday night's fire was arson. They should know more on Thursday. The Creek County Sheriff's Office says they have several suspects they'll want to question.

Watch the video: A Former Creek County Investigator Could Face More Charges

Related stories:

07/26/2007 Lawman In Trouble With The Law

07/27/2007 Creek County Investigator In Court

8/17/2007 - Former Investigator Faces New Charges

10/3/2007 - Former DA Investigator Charged